Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler

Mrs. Elvsted: You’ve got some reason for all this, Hedda!
Hedda: Yes, I have. For once in my life I want to feel that I control a human destiny.
Mrs. Elvsted: But surely you do already?
Hedda: I don’t, and I never have done.

In 1891, Henrik Ibsen’s play “Hedda Gabler” debuted in Munich, and the titular character has come to be regarded as one of the greatest dramatic roles of all time. I’ve heard of the play, but never seen it in the theatre, and it’s now being produced and performed by an incredible ensemble in Philadelphia that includes the amazing Trillian Stars in the role of Hedda Gabler and Kyle Cassidy as the videographer….because there will be a movie for those of us who may not be able to make it out to Philadelphia!

Kyle and Trillian have put together a kickstarter campaign to fund the live production and video shoot for “Hedda Gabler.” Rewards include pre-sale tickets, dvds, a cravat from the show, leaving a prepaid ticket at the door for someone, and other goodies.

As soon as I heard Trillian was going to play Hedda, I was struck by just how perfect a role for her it would be. Trillian has the kind of self-possession and graceful beauty of silent film stars. She’s unforgettable, and it would be a delight to see her as Hedda.

Kyle Cassidy is a brilliant photographer, but the thing I really adore about him is the way that he brings artists together to make beautiful, provocative things. I’m such a proponent of creative collaboration–there’s magic when you bring the right people together to “make good art.” Kyle’s vision, generosity, and dedication have birthed so many unforgettable works of art and creative experiences, from his own War Paint to Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman’s The Bed Song Book, from music videos to to theatre posters to librarian portraiture.

Together, Kyle and Trillian make magic. If you’re in Philadelphia, you can see the play performed in the parlor of Philadelphia’s historic Physick House, a mansion built in 1785 and decorated in the tastes of the late Victorian era  If you’re elsewhere in the world, they will have dvd and digital downloads available.

Here’s the direct link to kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/612451148/hedda-gabler-a-play-and-film

A lot of talented people are working together on “Hedda Gabler,” and I’m honored to be able to support it in some small fashion. Here’s Kyle talking about the project:

 

Published by Valya

Valya Dudycz Lupescu has been making magic with food and words for more than 20 years, incorporating folklore from her Ukrainian heritage with practices that honor the Earth. She’s a writer, content developer, instructor, and mother of three teenagers. Valya is the author of MOTHER CHRISTMAS, THE SILENCE OF TREES, and the founding editor of CONCLAVE: A Journal of Character. Along with Stephen H. Segal, she is the co-author of FORKING GOOD: An Unofficial Cookbook for Fans of The Good Place and GEEK PARENTING: What Joffrey, Jor-El, Maleficent, and the McFlys Teach Us about Raising a Family (Quirk Books), and co-founder of the Wyrd Words storytelling laboratory. Valya earned her MFA in Writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and her poetry and prose have been published in anthologies and magazines that include, The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, Kenyon Review, Culture, Gargoyle Magazine, Gone Lawn, Strange Horizons, Mythic Delirium. You can find her on Twitter @valya and on Mastodon.social @valya

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